Draw-gear and buffing apparatus.



E PATENTED AUG. 23, 1904. P; HIEN. DRAW GEAR AND BUFFING APPARATUS;\

APPLICATION FILED JULY 27, 1901.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

IO MODEL.

APATENTBD AUG. 23, 1904.

P. HIEN. DRAW GEAR AND BUFFING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 27. 1901.

2 sums-SHEET 2.

A \am to. l-cents.

Patented August 23,

' UITED STATES PATEN 'Q rniLLir rims, onornoneo, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR To GEORGE WEsTiNd ouse, OF rrrTsBuns, PENNSYLVANIA;

DRAW-#GEAR ANDBUFFING APPAhArus.

' SPECIFICATION forming m of'Letters Patent No. 768,453, dated. August 23, 1904. I

flpplicationfiled July 2'7, 1901.

To all whom fit 1111614] concern:

Bait-known that I, PHILLIP HIEN, a citizen of the United :States,2residing at Chicago,

being had to the accompanying drawings,

which form a part of this specification;-

My invention relates in general to mechanism adapted. to be interposed between the draw-bar and the draft-timbers of near, comrn'only known as draw-gear and bufiingapiparatus, and moreparticularly to that type of such apparatus in which a frictional resistance is produced and exerted to reduce or dissipate the shocks due to the pulling or buffing|fo1"ce, and thereby avoid the injurious ef- I fects'resulti'ng from thesudden and violent contact between the draw-bar and car-frame,-

The greater the weightof the cars forming a train the/greater is the'strainxuponthe draft mechanism, and consequently the' increased capacity of modern freight-cars has created a need forimore' etiective apparatus for graduating the torce oi'i the contact be-' tween the draft mechanism and the car-frame when a relative movement occurs in" aoquir-' ing and destroying momentum. r The object of my invention is to provide a draw-gear and bufiing apparatus of the type referred to which will produce the, resistance requisite tor graduating the strain between the draw Thar and frame of the car and which will also prevent the sudden recoil oi the re sistance prodncingelements when the strain is relieved.

A further object of my invention is to construct an apparatus of the class mentioned in which overlapping friction devices are disposed between eithercnd of a compressionspring and unyielding mechanism'connected to the draw-bar, so that a sharp blow is de- .lliVGIGCl directly upon the frictiondevices whenever thedra'wbar is suddenly moved relatively to the draft-timbers of thecar in form, and in .Which Serial Nosaess. (NqmodeL) I buliing and pulling A sharp blow, produced as described, instantaneously overcomes the static friction between the friction-devices and 'moves them longitudinally against the tension of the interposed'spring, thereby prO- 'ducing the-desired retardation to the move-' ment of the draw-bar through a transverse relative movement of the overlapping friction d'ev-ice's.

'In draw-gear and bulfing apparatus as con structed prior to my invention in which over-' to retard the movement of the draw-bar such devices have -been forced into frictional enfriction devices, whereby a yielding pressure results from a sudden movementof the draw:

bar which is ineffective to overcome the staticfriction of the overlapping devices, and hence the movement of .the'dravwbar must be retard edv by the compression of thesprin'gs ratherthanby the frictional resistance he tween the over'iapping' devices. 1

My invention, generally stated, consists in overlapping friction devices which have frictionnl resistanceimposed upon them bye lapping friction devices have heenemployed i longitudinal movement and which are relatively moved trans'ver'seiy to forcilqly retard the movement of the drawdia'r relative to the draft-timbers in pulling and buflin devices for exertinga resistance whenever a pulling or bufling action occurs, the friction devices on both ends noting substantially simultaneously or successively in both inas embodied. in convenient and practical 5 1 is necessary to show theconnection of improvement therew th;- Fig; 2, a longitudinal horizontal section through the center of 30 Myinvention- "further consists in locating in each end of a casing or housing friction N my invention removed from the our; Fig 3 C5. The distance between the upper {ml 2L VlGW similar to Figw 2 showing the apps lower edges of thctollowcl-plotes l ind I?" ruins in the position which it assumes during u hutling or pullingaction; F t i s perspeo tire view of the end of the casing or housing; Fig; 5 a perspective view of one of the friction. devices removed from the apparatus G eperspective view of s modifiedform Oi 'bllG i lotion device.

Similar reference characters indicatethe same parts in the scverel views of the drawings My invention is illustrated as embodied in n cesingor housing within the opposite ends of which are located friction devices such friction devices being interposed between in terior spring-pressed follower-plates and exterior followenpletes engaged by the drew The trio tion plistes are hrought into frictional contsct by a longitudinal movement end are then relatively moved transversely to prod nce the desired retardation of the movement between. the casing and the followers D and D and consequently of the movement of the drewher B relative to the drefhtinibers oi the car.

A indicetes one of the draft-thnhers of ,cer to which is secured suitable guides for supporting the drew-gear and friction appuretusc such guides comprising steps A and A engaged by the ends of the follower-plates D and Any suitable means may, howeverr. used for operatively connecting my improved epperstus to the oer-frame end else to the draw-bar. l have shown the end of the draw-her E operetively connected with improved apparatus by the usual 1nsuns namely a strap or yohe B connected at its ends to the enlarged rear end b of the drawhar by suitable 'festening devices I)" The huiiing apparatus is loceted within the strap with one of the follower-pistes D engaging the end of the drew-her l; and the other fol lower-plete D engaging the end of the strep opposite the drew-her:

"C indicates the casing or housing which consists in end portions C and preferably rectangular in sin-ape sud side portions C connecting the end portions, prefereblyiorined integral therewith The opposite interior sides of the end portions are provided with inclined surfeces 0' and cfl respectively, while the interior surfaces of the upper end lower sides of each of the end portions G 21nd are provided with wedge slieped guides c and 0"} respectively The exterior surfaces of the sides of the end portions may be cored out;

as shown st c undo, if desired to reduce the weight oi the ca mg:

-. Follower-plat 2 u and t are located be tween the end portions C: and G and are sup ported by and guided on the side portions C C by means of projecting lugs e which engage shoulders c forrned at the points Where the side portions G C join the end portions C and l i 1 i l l l l l l and isu spring F, and, ii desired an su z-- ilisrvspring I?" may be located within the spring R both of such springs hesring ti lower-plates l and E their ends upon the inner feces oi the fol- A guide-rod (3., which may he tn bulzn: in iornn posses lon itudinullv through the centers of the sprii end. is supported at its ends in openings formed throug h the centers of the folioweir-plates 1:1 and E. The guide rod G: serves to prevent the dis placement of the springs from. between the followei plutcsl The follower-plates and E are provided with reduced. extensions, which "project outwsrdly within the inner ends oi the openings through the end portions- C and (l of the casing These reduced extensions or prci' erehly formed in two integral p21 rte I and c on the fGllOW6P-DlltG E and and :5 on the followewplete The ports 1 and e are preieiiehly longer thnr thc part1; a and 51, whereby a shoulder iormcd at the point where parts 6' and a and e and (2 renpectivcly unite.

Follower-plates D and 13 are located st the ends ot the casing and are provided with projecting portions a? and ul extcnziling inwardly from the follower 1.) within the outer end of the opening through the end portion C of the casing, while the lJIUjQCblIIQ. portions 45 and d extend inwardly from the follower D within the outer end of the opening through the end portion of the cusimr. The projecting portions (5 end (i are slightly shorter than the projecting portions (3 end (if for e purpose subsequently to be described.

The casing is supported th rough its engage mentwith the guides secured to the draft-tinibers so as to becepsbleoif s bodily movement in either direction A series of any desired number oi overlap ping friction-plates are located within the openings through the end portions (1' and of the casingiend between the followers l) and E and E and 1) respectively. Thus overlupping friction devices are for convenience shown in the form of plates which may if desired. be provided with ribs to increase their superficial ares as shown in. Fig. 6 01 these overlapping members may be of my other desired fornn Each of the followerplates is provided with beveled end corresponding in inclination to thc'inclinod inner surface of the sides of the end portions (3 and (Yet the casing At each side of each of the frictiolrpletesis s shoulder in inclined. to corsides of the end portions C (J and the adjacent ed ges of the wedges. The outerfriction-plates H. and H extend from one of the inclined surfaces to the end portions transversely across theopening therein and terminate a distance from the opposite inclined surface greater 'than'the widthof the projecting. portions d and d, extending-inwardly frorn'the followerplates D and D as clearly shown in-Fi'gs. 2 x5 and 3 of the drawings. The inner frictionplates H and H extend from one of the inclined surfaces of the end portions to a point slightly-beyond the guide-wedges. The inner face of'the friction plate H rests uponithe reduced extension 6 of the follower-plate E; while the fi'iction-plate H rests upon the reduced extension a extending outwardly from.

- the follower-plate E o 1 The upper extension 6' ofthe followenplate E projects beyond the lower extension a a distance equal tothe width of the friction-plate H and is engagedby the overlapping friction-plate it the latter also engaging the friction-plate H? The arrange inent at the opposite end of the apparatus is sin1ilar-namely, the friction-plate H rests upon the reduced extension 0*, while the extension e? projects upon the inner edge of the friction-plate ll and engages the next friction.

plate it, the latter also engaging the surface of the friction-plate H opposite that engaged by the extension 6''. The projecting portion d" e gages the outer face of the first friction- I pla all, while the projecting portion (i ex.- tendsbeyond the end of'the friction-plate H and engages thesecond friction-plate, the lat-- ter also engaging the face'of the friction-plate H opposite to the face engaged by the'extension d. At the opposite end of the casing a similar arrangement occurs mamely, the extension d' engages therouter face of the'first friction-plate H while the extension at projectsbeyond-the end of the friction plate li 'and engages the outer face of the second.

friction-plate, the latter also engaging the ad jacent face of the first friction plate H Fig 6 illustrates a mo liiied form H of the friction-plate comprising corrugated or ribbed I engagingsurfacese Ji in this figure indicates shoulders to engage the edges of the guidewedges.

' The operation ofiny improved apparatusis asfollows: When a pulling strain is exerted upon the draw-bar B through the coupler, the yoke B through its'engagements with the exterior follower D forces the latter against the 1 friction-plates with which it engages through the extensions oZ and al The overlapping friction-plates H H and any suitable number i of-frictien-plates-interposed between-s'uch-end plates are thereby forced into frictional enboth through their contact with each other plateE.

gagernent with each other owing to the ten; sion of thesprings resisting the movement-of the follower-plate E is therefore imposed upon the friction-plates and th rough thecontact of the outer. ones which engage with the extensions 5 and d of the follower-plate D and with the extensions 0- and e on the interior follower-plate E The inclined inner facesoiwithin the end portion, C through their engagement with the ends of the friction-plate cause the latterto relatively slide transversely and thereby retard the movement of the follower D and consequently retard the movement of the draw-bar B through the intervening strap B. The opposite exterior follower-platel) is held in fixed relation with the draft-timbers owing to suitable stops. one of which'is shown at A. The engagement between the ends of the friction. plates and the inclined surfaces 0 of the end portion C carries the casing bodily toward the follower D and therehyforces into-frictional I contact the frictioirplates withi rthe endportion O through the engagement of such plates with each other-and also with the extensions d and d upon the follower-pistol) and'the' extensions e' and 6 upon the interior follower- This frictional 'res'istance'is due to the tendency of the springs to prevent the innor movement of the follower plate E; The

'friction plates Within the end portion C are relatively moved by the inclined surface a of the end portion G as the latter approaches the follower D. The movement ofthe draw-. bar B is therefore retarded by the friction plates in the end." ,portiontC of the casing through the retardation. which they exertto the movement ofthe casing in. p I

The action of my improved apparatus when.

a strain is exerted upon the draw-bar in an opposite direction to that described whens relative movement takes place between adjoining. cars is similar in all, respects to the operation above described which-takes place when the draw-bar is subjected to a draft or out- .ward strain except that the follower-plate D Frictional resistance 1 is held immovable with respect to the drafttimbers by suitable stops, one of which is. shown at A while the follower-plate l) is engaged by the end 6 of the draw-bar B and forced thereby in a direction toward the fol lower-plate D transmitting force through the friction. devices to the spring. When the strain upon the draw-bar is reliemch the l'ol-' lower-plates will be gradually returned totheir normal positions relative to the casing by the expansion of the springs. such expansion moving the followers E and E outwardly, thereby returning the series of friction-plates. through their engagement with the guide wedges C and U to their normal positions,

and through their contact with the extensions on the followers D anolD the latter are forcedinto engagement with the stops A. and A have produced a draw-gear and bufiing apparatus in which a series of friction devices are brought into frictional contact by a longitudinal mcvement thereof through contactwith exterior follower-plates'and through contact with interior follower-plates, the movement of the latter being resisted by spring-pres- .x. sure, The series of frlction devices are .brought into frictional contact through a direct or uny elding engagement with the mechanism connected to the draw-bar, whereby a sharp blow is delivered upon the friction devices whenever a sudden movement of the draw bar occurs; such blow instantaneously y overcoming the static frictionof the devices -5 and permitting their relative'movement to produce the requisite retardation to the drawbar. It is alsoevident that in my imp'roved apparatus the retardation is due to the rela tive transverse movement of the friction devices when in frictional contact with each other, such movement being caused by their engagement with the inclined inner faces of the end portionsof the casing. It isalso evident thatin my apparatus. whether subjected toapu'lling or buffing action, the friction devices at both endsare substantially simultane-J ,ously'or successively. pressed into frictional engagement and then relatively moved to produce the requisite retardation. o

casingor friction devices pcrsefas I have claimed them asarticics of manufacture ,in my copendin'g application Serial-No, 75,607, filed September-l8, 190l'.'

. While'i have described more ortov be: understood as iimitin'g myself thereto. as l contemplate ehang es in form, the 'pro portion of partsand the substitution of equivaients as circumstances may suggest or' render expedient without departing from the spirit ofmy invention.-

.Having now fully described my inventiom what I- claim'asnew; and desire to secure by 5' Letters Patent, is

1. In a draw-gear and bu apparatus, the combination "\Vlth a 'SQI'IGS of detached overlapping frict on devices, of means for forcing said devices into a frictional engagement, and

.means' formoving adjacent devices in oppo- .s'ite directions, substantially as'described.

; 2. in a draw-gear and bufhng apparatusithe combination witha series of overlapping fric- I do not claim in. this application eitherfthe I V less pref ciseiy the details of constructionl do not wishdevices transversely to the-line of draft and in opposite directions, substantially as described.

3. In an apparatus of the class described,

- the combination with a casing, of overlapping friction devices therein, means for forcing said devices into frlctional engagement by a longitudinal movement thereof, and means for relatively moving said devices transversely to the line of draft,substantially as described. 4. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a casing, a follower adapted to move relativelyto said casing, a spring adapted to resist the movement of the follower,overlapping friction devices interposed between said follower and spring, and means for moving adjacent devices in opposite directions, substantially as described.

5; In a draw-gear and bufiing apparatusthe combination with a casing having inclined interior surfaces, of overlapping friction devices engaging said inclined surfaces, means for yieldingly resisting the movement of said devices, means for moving said devices longitudinally into frictional contact, said devices being relatively moved transversely to the line of draft through their engagement with the inclined interior surfaces on said casing,

substantially as described.

6. In a draw-gear and bufling apparatus,the 'combinatlon with a casing having inclined 1nterior surfaces, of a follower adapted to be moved relatively to said casing, acompression-spring adapted to resist the movement of said follower,-overlapping friction devices interposed between said follower and said springand engaging said inclined surfaces of the casing, whereby the movement of said fol.-

lowerimposcs a frictional resistance upon said' overlapping devices while the latter are relatively moved transversely through their engagement with the inclined interior surfaces of said casing substantially as described.

7. l-n'an apparatus'of the class described, the combination with'acasing, of friction devices located in each end of said casing, means for simultaneously longitudinally moving said devices into frictional contact. and engaging meansbetween said devices and each end of thecasing for relatively mov nga'd acent devices, substantially as described. 1

8. In n apparatus of the class described,

the combination with a casing, of friction devices locatedat each end of" said casing, followers at'eaoh end of and adaptedto simul- .taneously move relative to said casing and thereby force said devices into frictional contact, substantially as set forth.

9. 1n adraw-gear and butiingapparatuatho combination with a casing, .of overlapping friction devices within each end'thereof,n1eans for simultaneously imposing frictional resistance upon said devices within each end of tion devices, of .means for moving" adjacent [said casing, and engaging means between said casing and friction devices for relatively mov ing adjacent devices to produce the desired retardation, substantially as described.

10. In a draw-gear and bufling apparatus, the combination with acasing, of detached overlapping friction devices at each end there-- of, means for forclng said devices into fric-.

tional engagement, and means for moving adjacent devices transversely in opposite directions, substantially as described.

, 11; In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a casing, of friction devices engaging each end of said casing, followers at each end of said casing engaging said friction devices, means fonmoving either.

of said followers toward the other andv causing the friction deviceswhich it engages to engage and bodily move said casing toward the other follower, whereby said devices are forced into frictional engagement simultaneously at each end of the casing, substantially as set forth;

12-. In a draw-gearand buffing apparatus, the combination with a casing, of followers at each end of said casing, means for limiting" the movement of the followers'away from.

each other, friction devices engaging and interposed between each end of said casing and the adjacent folloWen'means for yieldingly resisting the movement of said frictionolevices toward the center of the casing, whereby the movement of either of said followers toward the other will force into frictional contactthe devices engagedby said follower and through the engagement of such devices with the casing will move the latter bodily toward the follower and thereby impose frictional resistance upon the devices between that end of the casing and the adjacent follower, substantially as described,

I 18. Ina draw-gear and bufiing apparatus, th combination with a casing, having at its en 8 inwardly-inclined interior surfaces, followers at each end of said casing, means for guiding said followers and limiting their movement away from each other, overlapping frlctlon devices engaging said inclined interior surfaces at the ends of the casing, acompression-spring between the ends of which and said followers said overlapping friction devices are interposed, whereby frictional resistance is imposed uponsaid devices by longitudinal movement of either follower and said devices are relatively-moved transversely by contact with the inclined interior surfaces of said casing, substantially as described.

'14. In a draw-gear and butting apparatus, the combination with the draft-timbers of a car, of, a draw-bar, two series of friction devices, a springinterposed between said series of dev1ces,means for connecting said series of friction devices to the draft-timbers of the car and to the draw-bar, and means for simultaneously moving adjacent devices in each series in opposite directions, substantially as described.

15. 'In a draw-gear and bufling apparatus, the combination with the draft-timbers of a car, of a draw-bar, two series of friction devices, a spring interposed between said series of devices, followers engaging the exterior devices of each series, means connecting said followers to the draw-bar and draft-timbers of the car, and means for relatively moving adjacent devices in each series transversely both in biilfiing and in pulling, substantially as described.

16. In an apparatus of the character de scribed, the combination with a bodily-movable casing, of friction devices therein, means for forcing said vdevices into frictional engagement by a longitudinal movement thereof, and means for relatively moving said devices transversely to the line of draft, sub-r stantially as described,

17. In an apparatus of the character described, the cornbin'ation with a bodily-movable casing, of friction devices located in each 

